The new $69 million Sanford Children’s
Zoo, named for San Diego philanthropist
T. Denny Sanford, starts construction in

2019 with an expected completion date of

2021. The reimagined area will comprise
four ecosystems with over 100 species and
activities to inspire creativity and empathy
for nature through play.

FAMILY ATTRACTIONS

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s new exhibit,Walkabout Australia, has everything fromwombats and kangaroos to kookaburras andcassowaries. Legoland Castle Hotel is nowopen, featuring interactive play areas, a funpool, the kid-centric restaurant Dragon’sDen, and rooms in three themes: RoyalPrincesses, Knights & Dragons, and MagicWizard. Inside the park, look for the newride, a treasure hunt experience reveal-ing over 2,000 real sea animals alongsideLego fish, crabs and scuba divers. Sea WorldSan Diego has the city’s fastest and tallestroller coaster, the Electric Eel, which soarsup to 150 feet high and 60 miles per hour—sometimes upside down.

In April 2018, the convention center
achieved a Level Three certification in the

San DiegoShout-OutsCoronado: One ofthe Best Beachesfor Family

Family Vacation Critic

No. 4, The BestBig Cities in the U.S.

Condé Nast Traveler,“Readers’ ChoiceAwards 2018”

No. 7, Top 25

Destinations—United States

TripAdvisor, Travelers’
Choice Awards

No. 1, Best BeachDestination &Year-RoundPerfect Weather

Travel + LeisureAmerica’s Favorite Cities

No. 1, Most CraftBreweries &Wineries per Capita

WalletHub, 2017’sBest Foodie Citiesin America

APEX/ASTM Environmentally
Sustainable Event Standards
(in addition to its LEED Gold
certification) for its sustainable
practices like LED lighting,
purchasing seasonal food and
beverages from within a 100-mile
range, using food leftovers for
garden compost and donating
untouched items to the San
Diego Rescue Mission.

San Diego keeps evolving and expanding, offering visitorsmore exciting things to see and doWHAT’S NEWBEACHES